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Overview:
It is important for geography students to learn about the Earth's natural resources and the ways that people use these resources. It's also important for students to recognize that there are always environmental and human impacts related to the resource extraction process. By learning about the activities involved in producing their own belongings, students will gain an understanding of and appreciation for the Earth's natural resources. In the process, they may become more conscious consumers.
As students conduct their research, emphasize that they are learning about examples of environmental and human impacts. Thus, if a student reads about the impact of gold mining on a specific population of Native Americans or South American mine workers, they cannot conclude that the gold in their own earrings was produced by the same people, in the same manner, or with the same impacts. In fact, it's very difficult to tell where the materials in their specific possessions were produced and extracted.
Connections to the Curriculum:
Geography, environmental science, economics, history
Connections to the National Geography Standards:
Standard 14: "How human actions modify the physical environment"
Standard 16: "The changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance of resources"
Time:
Three to four hours
Materials Required:
- Computer with Internet access
- Writing and drawing materials
Objectives:
Students will
- list some popular and valuable items and the materials of which they are made;
- brainstorm ideas about the environmental and human impacts of extracting the materials on their list;
- choose one of their most valued possessions, and research the extraction process and environmental and human impacts associated with the most prominent material in that item;
- draw a picture of their possession and write captions describing the related extraction process and environmental and human impacts; and
- write paragraphs describing their reaction to the things they have learned in this lesson.
Geographic Skills:
Asking Geographic Questions
Acquiring Geographic Information
Organizing Geographic Information
Analyzing Geographic Information
S u g g e s t e d P r o c e d u r e
Opening:
Ask students to name some of the things that are popular and valuable to people their age, such as clothing or toys. Then ask them if they know what these things are made of and where and how they are made. Have they ever thought about where the materials in their belongings come from?
Write the materials that these items are made of on the board.
Tell the class that they will be investigating the background of some of their own belongings.
Development:
Add to the list on the board so that it contains the following items: gold, silver, wood, plastic, rubber, aluminum, steel, glass, cotton. Students will probably recognize that these materials occur in everyday items; they can probably see examples of each one in the classroom.
Remind students that these materials don't just appear readily at the doorsteps of the manufacturers. People have to work hard to extract the materials from the Earth, whether by mining, logging, or growing crops (as with cotton). Because of this process, there will always be impacts to the environment, to the people who live near the resources, and to the people who work to extract the resources.
Divide the class into small groups of three or four students each, and ask them what they think might be the environmental impacts of extracting some of these materials. Ask them to focus on the materials they know something about. For example, they know where wood comes from, so they should discuss the potential environmental impacts of cutting down trees. Tell them that plastic is made from petroleum.
Ask the group members to take notes on their ideas. Once they have spent a specified amount of time brainstorming environmental impacts (perhaps ten minutes), have them take notes on the potential impacts to people. How might extracting these materials affect the people who live in the regions where the materials are found?
Spend about five minutes having groups share their brainstorm ideas with the class, and tell them that they will be learning more about these topics.
Ask each student to choose an item that he or she owns and particularly values, such as a new pair of shoes, a piece of jewelry, or an electronic gadget. Ask them to list the materials it's made of and to circle the most prominent material. For example, if they have listed their stereo, they'll list plastic and metal (aluminum or steel) but will circle plastic as the most prominent material.
Have students research the material they have circled to find out about its extraction or production process and about the potential environmental and human impacts of this process. As they conduct their research, they should take notes to answer the questions below. They may need to use library as well as Internet resources, but the Web sites listed in the Related Links section can get them started.
- In what parts of the Earth is this resource most commonly found or produced? Name at least three specific places.
- How is this material taken from the Earth? Describe the process.
- How might extracting this material affect the environment?
- How might extracting this material affect the people who live where the material occurs and the people who work to extract it?
Closing:
Have students draw diagrams of the belongings they have selected and write captions to go with the illustrations, explaining the extraction processes and the environmental and human impacts related to these materials.
Have students write paragraphs answering the following question: Do you feel any differently about this item now that you have learned about where its materials come from? What have you found valuable about your research in this lesson?
Suggested Student Assessment:
Have students write essays describing the pros and cons of extracting the material they have studied. The essays should address these questions: "Why is it important to extract this material? Do people need it? What are the problems associated with extracting this material? Who benefits, and who loses?" Students should close their essays by expressing their opinions as to whether it's necessary to extract this resource from the Earth.
Extending the Lesson:
Have students compare their research results to learn about the different materials class members have studied. Compile a class list of the environmental and human impacts of resource extraction for each of these materials.
Related Links:
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